IT doesn’t matter what your politics may be, everyone in Liverpool should be delighted that the city is about to host the annual Labour Party conference.

The ECHO arena and BT Convention Centre (ACC Liverpool) will be home to more than 13,000 delegates, lobbyists and journalists between Sunday and Thursday – and the importance of their presence cannot be overstated.

It has been estimated, for example, that the conference will help generate £15m for the city which, in these tough, belt-tightening times, represents a major economic boost.

Throughout the week, these thousands of visitors will be spending money in our hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and cafes – although this is only part of the story.

The massive media presence should also benefit the city greatly, with countless news bulletins and political programmes set to beam pictures of our magnificent, world-famous waterfront into millions of homes.

And while the city was also delighted to host the Liberal Democrats last year (an event which boosted our economy by around £10m), the Labour conference will be a much bigger affair.

It should also be remembered that showpiece events such as this don’t simply land in Liverpool’s lap – this city and its venues have to sell themselves, and ACC Liverpool must be congratulated for attracting such a highly-prized and high-profile event.

This is another great opportunity for Liverpool and its people to build on the city’s born-again status – so let’s make sure we seize it.